The Student
by D-Money626
Summary: A student dreams that she is Martha Jones who travels in time in blue box with an adventurer named the Doctor, until one day she meets the real thing. This is 6th episode of different Series 4. "In almost every 1 of those dreams I was scared for my life."
1. What's to Come is Still Unsure

Martha sat alone in the kitchen sighing on the TARDIS. It was right after their last adventure on board the S.S. Centari fighting those Ice Pirates and her patience was wearing thin. Her friend Rose had been hurt and had developed a very nasty burn on her chest in the process. Never the less all of them had went into the TARDIS with a genuinely content attitude.

Martha had recommended they eat which brought her here. At first conversation was light and Martha got more than an explanation than she needed about how the Doctor and Rose figured out how to defeat their foes, but soon everything got awkward when Rose's injury was brought up.

Martha couldn't be certain, but it sounded as if it was the Doctor's fault. Although, hasn't he always claimed it was his fault? What really irked Martha was when Rose didn't really want to talk about it either. It wasn't that she resented the Doctor or was ashamed of herself because she really just didn't want to talk about it. She was the first to leave the table citing that she was in pain and had to lie down. The Doctor of course offered to tend to her, but it was obvious that solitude was what Rose had wanted.

A couple of interestingly awkward minutes followed between Martha and the Doctor before he muttered something about needing to repair the console and left her at the table alone.

Now, with absolutely no clue what had just transpired and no real idea what she should do Martha was truly lost. Neither of them represented any reason for her to stay in the TARDIS. That may have been the case a couple of months ago when she really struggled with her attraction to the Doctor, but now she was almost ready to leave. Unfortunately, she couldn't. She was still searching for something, anything really to happen in one of their next adventures that would tell her that it was time to go. The annoying part was that Martha had no idea what that anything would even be. It was like waiting on a blind date, but no arrangements were made to meet at a certain place and no pictures were exchanged. The very action or message that she needed may have just been sitting at the table next to hers all night long because that's just how life is sometimes. It makes sense why some people would say God has a sense of humor.

All Martha knew was that her time on the TARDIS was nearing its end and despite the recent squabble and uncomfortable awkwardness the three of them really were like a family. Rose was like a sister and the Doctor was, well she couldn't very well say a brother given the feelings she used to have for him. The Doctor was more like the handsome boy or more likely nerd next door. Yup, definitely a family.

Martha smiled having found some peace for the night and made her way out of the kitchen to her room. There were still adventures to be had and Martha was ready and willing to experience them, but they would have to wait until after she fell asleep and dreamed a little bit.


	2. Dreams

A young Caucasian woman sat in her pajamas at a desk in a small room that also contained two beds. She was busy typing out something on her typewriter and had been so for the past hour. Near her a lot of disorganized papers sat on the desk of various types. The woman's eyes were drooped as if sleep had been hard to come by recently.

Her head nodded slowly falling before she was able to bring it up and grab for a tea that was near her. Sipping the tea gave her a new kick and she was ready to write out the last few lines to whatever she was working on. As soon as she had written her last line she signed contently and said, "I'm finally done."

The woman removed the paper from the machine and moved to collect a group of papers that she grinned at. This had been an ongoing process for her. It was something she was rather proud of, but at the same time there was something that didn't seem normal about it all.

Her reverie was broken as another woman opened the door annoyingly. "Amy, are you done yet? I swear it's like nine and we're going to be late! And you know how Professor Miles is."

Amy looked at her watch completely stunned. Had she really been working on that document for the past couple of hours? Amy sprung up out of her chair and gathered some clothes before leaving out the door presumably for some type of shared bathroom.

The other woman left in the room silently shook her head at Amy's sometimes scatterbrainedness. With the way things were, a female had to be an excellent student to even have the chance at passing these classes. Amy was a good student, but sometimes she had been distracted by her recent side project.

Amy had claimed that if she didn't write out this distracting side project that she'd never get any sleep. She had been writing these fantasy type of stories rather religiously claiming that these were her dreams. Her roommate thought sometimes that Amy may be a bit barmy. Still, she wasn't there presently, so why not read the latest one?

The young woman picked up the paper that Amy had just discarded and started to read it silently out loud. "I'm on some type of street wearing blue like I am some type of doctor. The surroundings are weird as if it's not exactly the future, but halfway there. What shocks me the most is what I'm holding and treating as if it's a phone. Only this "phone" that I'm talking into is about the size of half of my hand. The weird thing is all of these weird things don't seem to faze me one bit as I talk to family completely ignoring it. It's like I belong there."

Amy came back all dressed just then and the woman tried to put the papers back as fast as she could. Unfortunately, she had been caught this time. "Oi, what are you looking at my stories for Sandy?"

"I'm just worried about you is all. Your studies have started slipping and I just wanted to see what the hoopla was all about."

Instead of chastising her for it, Amy found a bed and sat down resigned. "I know. Have you ever been bothered by something so much that you just can't think straight. I thought that maybe if I could write it out that it would all leave me. But, that's the thing. My dreams keep getting weirder and more impossible the deeper I explore them."

"Listen, Amy, it's important not to let your mind overwhelm you. The world frowns on women like us and the stress from that is enough to drive anyone crazy. Speaking of, if we don't get walking now than we will be late for sure."

Amy smiled as she reached for a backpack and put it on. "Ready when you are!"

Sandy did the same and they went through the door, closing and locking it behind them.

They walked in companionable silence through the busy hall full of their fellow female students before Amy almost mouthed something and decided not to say it.

Sandy laughed and asked, "What were you going to say?"

"It's just that, well it's nothing really."

"Out with it now. I don't want your mind lost during lecture. Your clouded enough as it is."

"You're a good friend, Sandy."

"The best, but that's not what you were planning to say was it?"

Amy laughed. Sandy always knew how to cut to the center of her bull. "What part did you actually read?"

"Something about walking down the street with a really small phone. Really? That's like that science fiction type of stuff."

"It's really weird how accustomed I am to all of it though, because I act as if that's my life."

"Our old Psychology professor used to say that dreams were like manifestations of what happened in our daily lives. Maybe that's what it all is."

"Except, with my dreams almost nothing is familiar to me. Even the name I answer to isn't mine. And that's what frightens me the most."

"Maybe it's an old relative or an old friend. Maybe something like that?"

Amy shook her head. "I've honestly never heard this name before in my life."

"Well, what is it already?"

Amy could not believe her own words as she stopped and answered, "Martha. Martha Jones…"


	3. Back to School

"Martha!" The Doctor yelled outside the TARDIS impatiently. "We're out here! I swear you humans, especially you female…" The Doctor stopped suddenly as he felt a slap on his arm from Rose standing next to him. He rubbed it with an apologetic look at the offended female in question. "Sorry." Rose just shook her head in disgust like this was not the first time it had happened.

Martha came out of the TARDIS to join them dressed up in what would be considered clothes from the 1970's with an accompanying backpack. Coming out, she hadn't heard what they might have said, but by the Doctor and Rose's body language she had a general idea. Martha slapped the Doctor on the arm much to his complete surprise.

"What?"

"That's for whatever you just said!"

"Bloody hell, you lot sure stick up for each other. Don't you?" All the Doctor got from that was stares that weren't happy with him so he moved on to saying something impressive. "So, Martha, does anything here look familiar?"

Martha scanned their surroundings for the first time. The large buildings seemed quite new along with all the young people dressed as if they were attending a university. On one of the buildings a freshly painted logo was on its side saying, 'SLU.'

Martha jumped at the realization. "Saint Leonard University Medical! This will be my school in about thirty years! What are we doing here?"

"Honestly, I don't know. The TARDIS sort of just willed herself here. Maybe, she wanted to show you something familiar."

Martha was still excited but knew that Rose knew nothing about the shared story she had with the Doctor. She wasn't going to be rude about it. "See, I met the Doctor at Royal Hope Hospital when I was a medical practitioner as part of my education at SLU." Martha pointed to a nearby building that resembled a female dormitory. "During my first year I stayed in that one over there."

The Doctor smiled. "Brilliant! The beauty of 1979."

Rose pointed above herself in glee. "Can actually see a blue sky overhead."

"One reason I prefer the past to the future when I travel. Well, except the twenty fifth century, the five millionth, the forty fifth, and the five hundred and first, or anytime past the twenty third in general."

Rose continued, "And the twenty first."

"No, definitely not. Only reason I keep going back is you lot and all the changes you encounter for the first time then. In fact, did you know that in later textbooks they call the twenty first the century where everything changes?"

Martha just grinned. "I think I've already gotten my demonstration in my lifetime, thank you."

Rose simply said, "Yeah." Thinking about her past adventures these days was like a mixed bag. It was exciting to think about all the good times in her first two or so years and even some of her most recent adventures, but the gap of being separated from the Doctor always seemed to sober her up. If anything the century where everything changed was also the one that tore her life apart, with just the one component left that she could always be happy about. She smiled to herself when she remembered that that component was standing right next to her. For some reason the thought made her rumble. "Anyone fancy a bite?"

Martha nodded. "Now that you mention it, I haven't eaten for at least a few hours. Doctor?"

The Doctor pointed. "There's a cafeteria right over there. As long as nobody's afraid of it."

Rose was curious. "Why would you be afraid of… Oh, right!"

"Exactly!"

Martha chose not to ask what realization either of them had come to and was just looking forward to eating something with her friends. However, her mind did play scenarios as to what they had alluded to while the three of them had walked over.

They entered the cafeteria reliving a recent previous adventure of theirs that involved a rhino, mayonnaise, and a Russian consulate. Rose laughed, "I still cannot believe that you had to get covered in that stuff to distract it."

The Doctor added, "I told you to not look in that mailbox. Don't look! And what do you do? You look!" He threw his hands in the air like he was still upset about it. The Doctor wasn't sure if he was or not. "You two go ahead and sit down and I'll get us something."

The Doctor left them to find some food while Martha and Rose went to find a seat in companionable silence.

While Rose picked up and began reading a particularly uninteresting ad on the table Martha asked, "You ever go to a university, Rose?"

Rose set the add down and smiled. "I did, yeah. In the parallel world I decided to continue my education and graduated."

"And before meeting the Doctor?"

"Actually, I hadn't even completed my a-levels before then. Which was funny because I was able to skip a few years of credits when I had a previous college transcript made up."

Martha laughed. "You didn't!"

"I so did! And I didn't pay for it either because school was always difficult for me growing up. Part of the reason I quit, but when I started back at it everything just came much easier. It was actually in a weird way kind of fun."

"I bet you the Doctor breezed through his classes in his day too. He's bloody brilliant."

Rose actually loved him for that so it became pretty apparent when she answered, "He is isn't he."

"Yeah."

"Funny thing is, Martha, that I told him I loved him last time I thought I'd see him and he heard it. Whatever he was going to say got cut off and it has never been addressed since I've returned. Sometimes I wonder…"

The Doctor suddenly came around the corner holding a tray with fish and chips on it. "You wonder what?"

Rose coughed suddenly and rather comically thought Martha before answering, "That… That I was telling Martha here that I sometimes wonder how school was for you."

The Doctor looked at her like she had grown another head. "Why would you be wondering that?"

Rose was almost defensive. "Can I be curious?"

The Doctor set down the tray on the table before muttering. "Well, in the human definition of the word I wouldn't call it a school per say, but I did spend many years at the Academy."

Both women became interested as all of them began to eat the food. Rose asked, "And how was that?"

The Doctor smiled at the thought. He didn't let himself even think about those long ago days, but when he did it always made him smile. "My training was… well, it was rememberable. Actually, I used to troublemake and not pay attention. I didn't have to because I was one of the more gifted ones." He laughed to himself. "I remember this one time. There was this other student that called himself the Master, was my friend actually, and he…" The memory was too fresh in his mind as the Doctor remembered what had happened only a year ago. "Never mind."

Martha explained to Rose. "The Master died only a year ago."

Rose was filled was a million questions, but she knew this was not the right moment for them. Honestly, she just wanted to enjoy herself with her favorite two people in the entire universe. "Oh. I had a mate I used to get trouble with all the time, Shareen. You remember her?"

The Doctor smiled from a memory. "Do I? I remember meeting her during that one time where we had to track those Aligatormous'. The poor kid was way in over her head."

"Oi, that's my mate you're talking about there! You weren't exactly being forthcoming about it though."

Martha sighed to herself. The Doctor and Rose had begun reminiscing in yet another story of their adventures before her that would take hours to even catch her up on. Those two had too much history sometimes she thought. She muttered to them, "I'm going to get a bit of ketchup. You two want some?"

The Doctor and Rose both nodded before the Doctor answered. "I'd love some, actually. Which reminds me, Rose, do you remember the time we saved…"

Martha had gotten up to leave them talking about their adventures that she could honestly care less about. She walked over closer to the serving area to find some bottles of ketchup before she overheard a curious line from a young female voice saying, "…And there I was in the past, couldn't believe it, and with Shakespeare nonetheless!" Martha stood there and continued to listen eager to find out how that could even be true…


	4. I'm Someone Else

Martha stayed crept behind a table with the extra ketchup bottles on top listening. She had just heard a female voice admit to being in the past and having met Shakespeare. She could just be reading a written story, but it was worth a little spy work just in case. Perhaps the woman was another time traveler, a former or future companion of the Doctor, or even… ow, she just got a slight headache from thinking too hard.

As Martha peered over briefly she saw the woman who was right about her age and looked like a student. The woman was reading from a packet of papers to a man seated across from her. "It was just beautiful being there for my first time trip. He was reciting all kinds of lines to impress me and the man himself called me a Queen! I mean, with the history books you only get a glimpse of it all, but really, truly, being there with the Barb and seeing him spout these wonderful lines was incredible. In fact, the Doctor called him a genius."

Martha's eyes popped out of her head in complete bewilderment. If she had written her own account of her first journey into time only a year and a half ago it would have sounded almost exactly like that. Martha could not let this go.

Martha got up and stood up straight. The Doctor and Rose were still chatting and partaking of the fish and chips, so she thought not to bother them as she walked over to the curious couple like she had simply overheard them. "Excuse me, your story about Shakespeare sounded pretty interesting. Do you write?"

Martha expected to be blown off much as the body language of the guy would suggest, but the woman smiled genuinely. "I normally don't share these kind of things with strangers, but I have a feeling about you." She reached out her hand to which Martha shook it. "I'm Amy and this is my boyfriend Zach. I'm just reading my… my stories to him."

"My name's Martha. Do you mind if I sit down?"

Amy's reaction puzzled Martha after she had shared her name, but after a startle the student replied, "Right, yeah… you can sit next to me… Martha?"

Martha sat down next to Amy while it seemed Zach sat across from them eyeing her suspiciously. In an apologetic voice he shared, "Amy reads a lot of fiction and has a active imagination, but she's not a nutter."

"I didn't say she was. Honestly, I think that kind of story may be interesting."

"Well, ok. I guess I'm a little more protective of my girl than I need to be sometimes." Zach smiled at Amy and seemed to have a more accepting attitude towards Martha now. Truth be told he loved Amy and Martha could tell that, but she could also tell that Zach was a little embarrassed by it all. Perhaps, this wasn't always the case with his girlfriend.

Amy asked, "I'm sorry Martha, but this may sound a little weird especially coming from someone you just met, but what's your last name?"

Martha did feel a little uncomfortable about the forwardness, but decided there wasn't much to lose in not saying it if she could gain her trust. "Jones, may I ask why?"

Amy's reaction to Martha's last name was surprising to say the least. She practically gasped in shock. "It must be some type of coincidence."

"Pardon?"

Zach filled in. "These stories that you overheard and got interested in. The main character is named Martha Jones."

Martha became very interested and did not hide it. There was too much going on for this to be some type of coincidence. "You really named your character Martha Jones and she met Shakespeare? I mean, where did you get your inspiration from, if you don't mind me asking?"

Amy brightened up at Martha's response. She had been afraid that Martha may think she was a nutter much like her boyfriend had slightly interrogated her for earlier, but Martha was genuinely interested. "No, not at all. Don't think I'm crazy or not, but I get my ideas from my dreams."

"I'm sorry, but you dream that you're Martha Jones?"

Zach added, "She's been having these dreams and sometimes she'll call them nightmares about being an adventurer with this doctor. I offered she should write them down to help possibly get them on paper, but it turns out her imagination is getting stronger the more she uncovers."

"Yeah, and in these dreams I'm a doctor too. A doctor traveling with a doctor, and I really seem to like it."

Martha could not believe how similar this all sounded. "Doctor who?"

"That's just it. I've never heard him speak his name. It's always just, the Doctor."

Martha gasped inside. On the outside she showed mild curiosity, but the realization had hit her like a ton of bricks. Whoever this Amy was she knew at least some of Martha's memories and those included the Doctor. This could be a trap or a godsend, but she couldn't figure out which. All she knew was she had to dig deeper.

"No more questions. I'd like to hear another story."

Zach spoke up, "Time's up for me though. Got class to get to an all that. Amy, I'll see you later."

He reached across the table and kissed her on the forehead lovingly before getting up and saying, "Martha Jones, nice meeting you," and he left.

Martha commented to Amy sitting next to her, "That's a good bloke right there."

Amy smiled, "Thanks, I love him too." She then straightened herself out and asked hopefully, "Still want to hear that story?"

"More than anything."

Amy found the papers that contained her written down stories and began to read one of them. "I became hired as a maid because I had to. It wasn't the best time to go and hide from them, but just like any time it was done at complete random. The Doctor was different this time because he could not just hide. They could smell him so he had to change himself to be human, only it broke my heart that he wasn't the Doctor anymore. He was John Smith. I…"

"Stop!" Martha was overwhelmed because that story had told her everything she needed to know. "I'm sorry to be rude and all, but it's too much all at once. I have a friend you need to meet. He's nice and won't judge you, I promise."

Amy nodded silently, Martha got up from her seat, and turned around. She watched Martha walk over to another table and begin talking to two people sitting down. Only those two weren't strangers to her at all. At first sight she somehow knew exactly who they were because this was not the first time that she had seen them. Amy's heart began to beat rapidly in anticipation as they made their way over with Martha leading the Doctor and Rose cleaning up before trailing a little behind.

Martha smiled as she approached the table announcing, "Amy, this is the…"

Martha stopped and stared in shock as did Rose as an almost lovesick Amy jumped out of her seat and reverently said, "Doctor" to herself as she snogged the Doctor for all her worth…


	5. The Man of My Dreams

There's not much in this world that will make a whole building of people fall silent and stare, but this was one of those times. Amy had just jumped up and snogged the Doctor passionately.

The Doctor initially was shocked, but did not deny the kiss. He had no idea who this Amy was, but for some reason she brought a welcoming element to her kiss. However, a minute later he pushed her away regretfully. The action lost the attention of everyone else who resumed their lives and conversations, but for the two who kissed, and Martha and Rose, who were behind the Doctor, it was just getting started.

Amy immediately was sincerely apologetic. "I'm sorry! I don't even know what came over me!"

Rose had absolutely no idea how to even handle the situation. In a normal world she'd slap the Doctor or have words with him. In fact at a younger age she would have done so anyway. But, the Doctor wasn't hers as much as it hurt her and she couldn't literally do a thing about it even if it had broken her heart. All she could do was stay silent and keep her feelings to herself while staying positive for her friends.

The Doctor was still getting over the shock. "Blimey, I knew I was gorgeous, but that was a jolt even for my standards."

Martha tried to explain however unexplainable it all was. "Doctor, Rose, Amy has been having dreams lately and I think I'm somewhat involved."

Amy shook her head, "What? Don't be preposterous! This is really all just a big coincidence because how could I…"

Martha cut her off explaining, "Amy, I'm Martha Jones. I'm a doctor. That is the Doctor right there who you just… snogged." It was awkward, but Martha could admit out loud that she used to have those feelings. "I met Shakespeare and that was my memories of Farringham. That was no figment of your imagination." She pointed to herself to emphasize adding, "Those could only be my memories!"

Amy looked genuinely shocked and mouthed an "Oh" in realization. She was scared because this just wasn't an interesting dream anymore. Amy had really just kissed a perfect stranger. "So you're really the Doctor and Rose Tyler?"

The Doctor began to look on darkly with pity. "We are."

Rose asked comfortingly, "Why don't we all sit down and you can tell us how these dreams started?"

As they found a seat on the bench with Amy and Martha on side and the Doctor and Rose on the other Amy began. "About a year ago, but I don't know how. They really just started one night and I finally told myself to write it all down and clear my head, but the dreams have never stopped. They're coming more frequent now more than ever before. Their more visual, more involved, and even more emotional. They're like nightmares sometimes."

The Doctor asked, "Nightmares?"

"Yeah, because in almost every one of those dreams I was scared for my life."

"Tell me about one of them."

The Doctor's simple request also held strong compassion in his eyes. She decided that maybe this Doctor could really help her if he understood. Amy grabbed her papers and fingered through until a particular entry caught her eye.

"I'm in New York this time and it's overcast like a storm is approaching. Only this can't be my time because this is not the New York that I've seen pictures from my friends that have traveled. No, this New York is a work in progress and the cars and people look like something from a photograph of the 1930's. Only, it's all in color and it's happening all around me. Still, there is something in the air. Something there scares me. Next thing I know I see these metal things that almost look like small cylinders shooting some type of futuristic laser at somebody…"

Rose interjected in a slight fear, "What were they called? Those things. Can you name them?"

Amy shrugged her shoulders and said it like it meant nothing. "Daleks."

The Doctor's eyebrows shot up. He remembered that particular adventure like it had just happened yesterday. "Amy, please tell me anything about how you got these dreams?"

"They just… started one night."

The Doctor bent over the table and grabbed her shoulder to meet her eye line. "Tell me. I'm the only one that can help."

Amy just stared at him defeated because she really had no idea. All she could answer him with was a very frustrated, "I don't know! They just started to happen and I was so scared! I just want them to stop. You call yourself the Doctor, right? Please make them stop for good and heal me!"

The Doctor pulled himself back still looking at her with his eyes wide. Amy was on the verge of tears so Martha reached around her back and hugged her.

The Doctor spoke slowly saying, "Amy, there is something I can do, but your going to have to trust me. Do you trust me?"

Amy's immediate reaction surprised her. Her head said no while her heart said yes. She began to mouth 'no' before immediately saying as if in awe, "Yea. I'd trust you with my life."

Rose asked, "Doctor, are you sure you've never met her before? Because, if this is you going and hiding something again it's time to come clean."

The Doctor turned to Rose and stared at her with completely sincere and confused eyes. "I've never met her before in my life."


	6. Cascades of Memories

Amy opened the door to her dorm room shakily leading the Doctor, Martha, and Rose into it.

Upon entering the room the Doctor accidentally knocked over a stack of papers muttering, "Sorry."

Rose and Martha rolled their eyes as Amy allowed herself to laugh a little bit despite her fear. "No worries there, Doctor. It's my roommate, Sandy's."

The Doctor absently remarked, "How do you humans put up with such a small enclosed place of habitation?" He hated to admit it, but the Doctor was feeling a little claustrophobic in that dorm room. He was also obviously stalling.

Amy sat down and started playing with her clothing while the other women found a seat and the Doctor remained standing. Martha was the closest to Amy and rubbed her back comfortingly. Maybe it was the memories, but Martha felt a unique bond with this woman who she had never met.

Rose asked, "How much of a window have we got?"

Amy replied, "A couple hours. Sandy is in class. Are you sure all the secrecy is needed?"

The Doctor nodded his head and looked on at her darkly. "You have information in your head of things that you should never know about. They're not just dreams, Amy. They're more than that…"

Amy was scared, but was very trusting of the Doctor. She felt like she had known him all her life and her earlier kiss was no fluke. She would say she even loved the Doctor. Wait! Didn't she have a boyfriend? Zach? How could she forget her boyfriend of several years?. The thought scared her as she asked, "What are you going to do?"

"I've done this several times before, so no worries there. My physiology makes me psychic so I'm going to need to read your mind. Not an invasion of privacy. Just helping is all."

Amy looked at Martha who reassured her, "Yea, it's painless. Let me give you some space."

Martha moved away as the Doctor got down on his knees next to the bed. "Lie down and relax." Amy laid down, putting her head on her pillow, closing her eyes, and breathing softly as the Doctor reached over to put his fingers on her temples. "Anything that you don't want me to see just visualize a door and it will keep me out."

With both their eyes closed and Martha and Rose looking on, the Doctor was hit with a wave of memories. Visions clouded his head of familiar adventures he had been on with Martha. Living in the 60's because of the Weeping Angels, himself glowing because he had taken on the essence of a sun, himself and Rose staring in shock as Martha was held at gunpoint, him taking off his tie and showing it to her, traveling the first time he introduced the TARDIS to her, Rose turning around in that lab in the parallel world, him saying "Rose" almost desperately as Martha and the blonde were chained to the wall, and there were more… With each memory it was more than details. The Doctor could feel the feelings, thoughts, and emotions with each one. It was overwhelming to say the least because it really hit home how much he had hurt Martha over the years. Still, there were bigger issues at hand. He was not in Martha's head. He was in Amy's.

The Doctor concentrated harder and was hit with memories from before meeting Martha and saw visions of Martha going to Saint Leonard. Martha was always working. Some of Amy's memories were still visible, but none of them pointed a clue as to what was going on. Deeper…

The Doctor was suddenly hit with the earliest memories. Martha was a little girl being taken care of by her parents looking at the world in awe and confusion, but Amy's were nowhere to be found. They were hidden and it wasn't Amy's doing. The Doctor knew what was happening here and he had to make it right!

As he cut his psychic connection he was hit with a new memory of Martha strapped to a chair against her will and a shadowy figure with a male voice saying proudly, "Rose Tyler is dead." It was a memory to come from Martha's future and the thought completely scared him as he opened his eyes and stood up.

Rose was the first thing the Doctor saw as he opened his eyes. Rose, who according to the future memory, was going to be dead. He put on a nonchalant face as she asked, "What did you find, Doctor?"

The Doctor ignored her and instead asked Amy fearing the answer that he also expected, "Amy, what are the names of your parents?"

Amy opened her eyes knowing the Doctor was done and smiled at the thought. "Francine and Clive."

Martha's jaw dropped to the floor as the Doctor added, "Earliest memory?"

Amy again smiled. Thinking about her past was always comforting to her as she recalled, "I remember a time when I was five when mum had just bought me this doll, or Barbie is what it was called. She handed it to me wearing this white coat and said, 'Here, dear.' Being as young as I was I had to comment, 'She's black.' What my mum said next inspired me for many years to come. "And so are you, so there's no reason you can't be her."

Martha couldn't believe it. That was her memory and Amy wasn't even black! "No…" She then stared at the Doctor wanting an explanation that made even the least bit of sense. That could not have been a memory from Amy's past and there had to be a reason behind it all.

The Doctor darkly commented, "It's taking you over, Amy. Memory by memory, it's replacing yours with Martha's. You've lost your childhood and your already starting to lose your recent years. I'm so sorry this has happened to you."

Rose asked, "Is there anything we can do?"

The Doctor shook his head at her. "Theirs nothing, I can do. Martha, only you can save her."

Martha looked at him. "What… what can I possibly do?"

"I can't help you do it. Believe me, Martha Jones, I want to more than anything, but I can't even be in the room."

Martha was completely shocked. "Why? Doctor, if I need to do something just give me a hint! Anything at all and I'll do it!"

The Doctor looked at Rose. "Rose, we need to leave."

"But, Amy, Doctor! Are we really going to leave her like this!"

"You and me, yes. Martha, no. Martha's going to save her and we can't intercede."

"You're not making any sense!"

"Leave them, Rose. I know what I'm doing and we really need to go back to the TARDIS. We can't interfere or it won't work."

She stood up and stared him down saying, "Are you sure, Doctor?" He simply forced a reassuringly smile and nodded. Rose half smiled back. "OK, then."

The Doctor leaned over to Martha and offered, "While you figure it out, why not talk to her?"

The Doctor left with Rose following as they opened and shut the door behind them. They were going to the TARDIS and Martha was left alone with Amy wondering what in the world she could possibly do to save the day.

Martha silently asked herself, "Doctor, what is it that I'm supposed to do?"


	7. Saving Myself

Martha stood there staring at the door for a couple minutes in complete shock. He had just went and left her… again! The Doctor had even left saying he couldn't be in the room. That was complete bollucks! It had to be because what in the world could she do that he couldn't witness. Martha told herself to think hard as her reverie was disrupted by the almost forgotten slightly younger female voice behind her.

"He always does that, yeah?"

Martha could do nothing but nod softly and sigh. "Yeahhh."

"So, do you know what you're going to do to, uh, fix me?"

Martha laughed, embarrassed, as Amy joined her. "No idea."

"So, same as usual then?"

Martha turned around and grinned at her. "Yeah." It was almost freaky how in tune they were with each other, but it was also comforting. It was like talking to yourself, except you were in another body. It didn't make much sense, but after living the life she had for the past year and a half it was normal. "But, that's just the thing isn't Amy? The Doctor didn't just strand me to be an arse. He did it for a reason. Him and Rose. What have they got in common?"

Amy concentrated, frantically trying to help. "They travel in the TARDIS. They, uh, Oh! The time vortex, they've both experienced the time vortex!"

"No, that can't be it. Besides, I'm not even sure the Doctor has experienced the same thing. Wouldn't put it past him though."

"They got shared history. They've both traveled with you!"

Martha grinned a million miles wide. "That's it! That's what they've got which is why they had to leave! They have memories of me and that is exactly what we can't have interfering with us because this time it's not an alien, it's not even a bloody thing! It's a process! And that's what's eating away at your memories! And I gotta reverse it!"

Amy shared in her excitement. "Your medical training. There's something deep in there. I can almost… can't quite… it's a therapy!"

"A progressive one at that. Hanson's Auditory Retroactive Displacement or HARD for short. I knew studying random things for my rounds would work out eventually!"

Amy frowned. "But, it's not proven. As you know it's for psychosis patients to relieve visions. You don't even know if it's going to work."

Martha stayed upbeat. "I don't, but we know a man, don't we? Flies by the seat of his pants every damn day, and you know what?" Amy nodded as she replied in tune with Martha. "He always goes with his gut!"

Amy became excited. "Ok! Now, I don't know the procedure completely, so…" She stopped suddenly as she screamed in pain holding her head with her right hand. "It hurts!"

Martha was already in take charge mode. "Lay down." Amy lay down, still holding her head, and Martha sat on the bed next to her staring into her eyes. "I want you to repeat after me, ok." Amy nodded fearfully. "I am not Martha Jones. I am not Martha Jones."

With an unsure fear she repeated, "I am not Martha Jones. I am not Martha Jones."

"Good keep doing it. Just, concentrate and close your eyes." Amy kept repeating the same five word sentence as Martha scanned the room hurriedly looking for something, anything to help. Oh, there was nothing! Her eyes fell on a picture on the wall of a younger Amy wearing a football uniform. Had to have been high school and it was a shot in the dark, but she had to try it. "I played football in high school." Amy repeated as Martha continued trying to find anything at all that would be a memory separate from her own. "I have a boyfriend named Zach. I…" Martha found a very old photo on the wall. An almost toddler aged Amy was holding a purple bike. She had to be four or five, but she needed to guess perfectly for it to work. "I received a purple bicycle from my mum when I was five."

Amy repeated the statement once, than began to spew other statements. "My dad's name is Joseph. My first job was when I was sixteen working at Barnaby's Grocery Store. I was born in 1959. My name is… I'm Amy Smith, but who is this Martha Jones person?"

Martha shushed her as Amy began to distance herself from reality. "Nobody. That's not even her name. That was that woman you met one day at Barnaby's, and her name was Jane Jones. Remember?"

Amy smiled as she drifted off. "Oh yeah… great woman she was. We had a nice chat about bananas and how she had been disrespected by that man, John."

"But, that was it, Amy. You never saw Jane Jones again. And you finally were able to rest for the test."

Amy muttered silently half asleep. "Thank you, miss. I never got your name."

Martha smiled. "I'm just a friend."

Amy was now sound asleep and Martha was overjoyed at herself. She had been beyond clever. At every turn she had been right and she had pulled off an almost impossible feat. Martha had found exactly what she had always been looking for and was ready. She knew what she had to do next.

The wind outside the dorm picked up as a blue box materialized right outside the window. Martha smiled at the box. The TARDIS. Her home for the past year and a half. The Doctor had believed one hundred percent in her to save Amy and she couldn't forgive him enough for it.

Martha grinned as she got up and found Amy's stack of stories. She gently pushed them into the nearby trash can and found a match after looking in several desk doors. Martha struck the match and threw it into the can. If Amy never heard about the Doctor again there would never be a relapse and she could go on living her life normally as she did before being affected.

As it burned Martha whistled a tune to herself. "Memories, memories. Sweet, sweet, memories." Martha smiled happily as she walked over to the door, opened it, and shut it behind her leaving Amy asleep and cured, and the story completely burned up.

Now, that was the easy part. Martha strode nervously toward the TARDIS. It was time to stand up for herself no matter how hard this was going to be. It was simply time.

The TARDIS doors opened normally as the Doctor called from inside, "See, I knew you could do it, Martha. Bloody brilliant, you are!"

It was now or never. Martha tried to smile as best she could to keep from crying as she met his eyes from the door. "Doctor, please take me home."


	8. Goodbye

The statement hit both the Doctor and Rose like a ton of bricks as their delighted and proud for Martha faces dropped. The Doctor suspected worse, but decided that hopefully maybe she had been joking. "For a quick visit? Sure!"

Martha walked in slowly with a resounding and convincing, "No. For good." There was no going back now.

Rose offered, "But, Martha. No need to be rash. I mean, we left you because…"

Martha cut her off as she now was holding the consul on the opposite side of them. "I know, but I have to do this for me. No more running away chasing after dreams. I know who I am now."

The Doctor nodded soberly. "Ok, then. Next stop, London. You sure?"

Martha nodded her head holding back the tears. This was so hard for her and the Doctor and Rose could see that. She had to remain strong or this would be even more unpleasant.

Silence fell between them as the Doctor input the controls and Martha looked across at those two. As the engines pulsated a cascade of memories flowed through her head from her travels. Some with just the Doctor, some with him and Jack, and some with him and Rose. Martha had had the best of times in the TARDIS and would always remember her journey's and the people they were with for the rest of her life, but now it was over. She silently cried just thinking about how she was finally letting go. For good.

The engines died down and the TARDIS rested as Martha made her way over to her two best friends in the whole universe. "This is it. Come here you big lug." Martha smiled and hugged the Doctor with all her might as he returned it picking her up slightly in the air.

The Doctor let her down and she didn't even have to make a move as she found herself engulfed by Rose, who was crying. Martha realized she wasn't so dry herself. "Gonna miss you, Martha."

As the women broke their hug Martha glanced between them still crying. "Goodbye."

And that was that. Martha turned around and walked to the door of the TARDIS and opened it to a beautiful sunny and cloud free day outside in her time period.

Her first step was difficult leaving the TARDIS, but once both feet were out she closed the door behind her. A smile reached her lips. This was a new beginning for Martha Jones and she knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life now. That was all the Doctor's doing and somewhat also Rose's. Martha would always be thankful of the adventures and the opportunities the Doctor gave her because everything just made more sense now. The Martha she had been before had been so confused and so young, but now she could really call herself a mature adult and live a great life.

As she continued walking she pulled out her phone to call her mum. While dialing the numbers she began to hear the pulsating of the TARDIS behind her and stopped and again noticed her phone in a new light. She didn't have to say goodbye to her friends forever, so she ran back to the TARDIS screaming "Doctor, one more thing."

The winds died down and Martha threw open the doors to walk over to the Doctor who was staring at her with complete incomprehension. As soon she was close enough Martha thrust her phone into the Doctor's hands. "What?"

"That's my number right there, so if I ever want to see you again all I need to do is call myself."

Rose grinned. "Brilliant!"

The Doctor just smiled. "Well, the TARDIS already does have a phone."

Martha was surprised. "You're kidding me! Ok, well, I guess I'll just keep my phone then. What's the number?"

"Too complicated and too many firewalls to get through. I'll just keep your phone."

"I'll see you both again! Count on it!"

Martha turned and left the TARDIS for good this time while the Doctor was reminded of the future memory of Martha's concerning her strapped to a chair and the taunting of Rose being dead. They would see Martha again because that memory was certain and because of that he was not looking forward to it. Most of all, he'd never tell Rose no matter how much she stared at him suspiciously like she was doing right then. The future looked much too dark, but the present was worth keeping.

The Doctor set the phone down and input the controls to dematerialize the TARDIS as the engines pulsated and both his and Rose's frowns turned into wide grins at what was next.


	9. Next Time Trailer

Next Time on Doctor Who...

The Doctor turns to Rose. "I think it's time I give you a little perspective on aliens. We're going to the planet Sirius!"

It's daylight across a bright white sky reflecting on the golden grass. Flowers are prevalent in purples and blues which match the large mountains far away. It's almost like a royal color scheme.

"Tucked away in its own little corner of the universe Sirius teams with life, but it's not discovered by humans until millions of years into the future. So, for the first time in your life, Rose Tyler, you'll be the alien."

The Doctor and Rose stand on a cliff overlooking a great city. It bustles with action as it's light blue inhabitants go from activity to activity.

Rose turns toward the Doctor and grins. "Well, Doctor, are you ready to run?" They tear through the streets of the city, laughing.

Rose lays relaxed on a table next to the one the Doctor is lying on. "Doctor, I've always wondered what it was you were going to say all those years back on that beach."

Several TVs turn on with the words "Special Broadcast" displayed. The screen is filled with a very grainy image of a human figure in all of its color, but is so distorted that facial features are unrecognizable. The figure announces, "People of the great civilization of Sirius I represent the mighty Human civilization. You have a human traitor amongst you who just landed on your planet with ill intent. And her name is Rose…"

The Doctor tells Rose sternly, "We need to get to the TARDIS, quick!"

They are thrown into a dark room, and a guard slams the door on them.

The Doctor jumps over a fence running, and Rose does the same.

A blue armed guard happily mutters into a com with Rose cornered against the wall. "I got the alien right here, and I'm not letting it out of my sight."

Rose holds up her hands in the air and yells, "Doctor!"

Series 4 will continue with "Sirius" next week!


End file.
